Archive for month: January, 2011

The government recently announced that it would fund a billion-dollar government-run drug development center to help create new drugs. The “National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences” will be tasked with creating new drugs and, according to the Director of the NIH, “any project that reaches the point of commercial appeal would be moved out of the academic support line and into the private sector.”

Last night I roasted a chicken for dinner and Tom declared that it was the best roast chicken he’d ever eaten. Even I had to admit it was darned good. But I didn’t set out to roast a superlative chicken; I set out to make a quick and easy dinner. So how did I get to superlative? Easy. Cooking, like legal nurse consulting, starts with the right tools. The right tools, whether it’s my favorite antique cast iron roasting pan or your CLNC® Certification Program, can enhance even the most inexperienced person’s abilities. The right tools make me a better cook and they can make you a better Certified Legal Nurse Consultant.

Today I’ll tell you how to eliminate something that’s extremely annoying, but we’ll do it by attempting something risky. We’re going to eliminate those goofy pop-up balloons that show up in the bottom right side of your computer screen (also known as the “System Tray”) when you send a legal nurse consulting report to your […]

Yesterday someone I met asked me: “Vickie, of the places you’ve been, what is your all-time favorite trip?” I’m not a fan of this question because every trip is a favorite in its own way. My response yesterday was the same as it’s been for 12 years. “If I can only pick one, it would have to be Nepal.” Nepal was my first expedition, so I felt daring, rugged and adventurous. I also fell in love with the incredible contrasts there.

My staff at Vickie Milazzo Institute are strong, opinionated and sometimes even mouthy – just the way I like them. When we hire a new employee I sometimes notice that at first they’re reluctant to give an opinion that's different from the majority of the outspoken. They are often a little slow to speak up and when they do it’s obvious they’re just tagging onto the others. It’s like the new person is afraid to get off the fence and jump down onto either side until they know what side everybody else is on. Here in Texas, if you’re sitting on a fence in a pasture full of longhorn cattle that may be a good idea. But when you’re in my conference room, it’s not a tactic for success with me or with the rest of the staff.

Yet another question I get, “Can I buy equipment and software for my legal nurse consulting business from sources other than legitimate retailers?” For office furniture or equipment such as filing cabinets, etc. you can save some money buying from Craigslist or other used equipment sites. If you’re buying electronic printers, copiers, scanners, etc. you run the risk of getting something damaged or worse, compromised goods.

I am so enjoying all of your communications in anticipation of the 2011 NACLNC® Conference Cruise. I can’t wait to spend those seven days with all of you. Until we meet up on March 13th, here are 15 ideas for having the most fun possible on our cruise.

That’s one of the most common questions I get from Certified Legal Nurse Consultants. How many of you have wondered whether or not you should purchase an extended warranty when you buy a new piece of tech gear? The answer, like my answers to almost any question, is unequivocal: it depends.

I’ve just returned from what Tom and I call our Great Christmas Migration. Every year over Christmas and New Year’s we crisscross the country visiting family and friends, and then we close out the year with renewal time for just the two of us. On one flight, after putting away our electronics and during the landing pattern, I was catching up on my reading. I was struck by an article on the Great Migrations in the November, 2010 issue of National Geographic Magazine. The article spoke to the way migrating animals become so focused on their mission that they pass up the opportunity to eat. It mentioned one of my least favorite birds, the Arctic Tern. Remembering being attacked by them in Iceland, I talk about them in the video below.